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Bahrain’s General Organisation of Sea Ports (GOP) today announced that it has awarded the contract to build and set up an online portal for the Ship Registry to Affno and Third Wave International, Affno’s Middle East partner based in Bahrain. This new portal is part of the GOP’s initiative in its groundwork to prepare Bahrain‘s Ship Registry as an open registry thereby facilitating ships to sail under the Bahraini flag.

The new portal will facilitate GOP’s customers anywhere in the world to have easy access to the different automated services provided by Ship Registry. It will include an exclusive auto notification system which will send notices and updates to the GOP’s customers using a simple easy-to-use SMS interface or by emails. Additionally, a fully integrated financial system, which will issue invoices and facilitate online payment, will also be available. This portal is expected to be ready by September 2011.

Commenting on the announcement, GOP Director General, Mr. Hassan Ali Al Majed said: “The signing of this agreement is a significant milestone for us and is in keeping with the GOP’s preparations to set up Bahrain’s Open Ship Registry. We are looking forward to working with Affno and Third Wave International, who will be setting up and building the automated portal in partnership with the Ship Registry. We are confident that this contract will help us to build an effective portal that meets the highest international standards, and which will facilitate the interaction of our prospective and existing customers worldwide with the services we offer.

“At GOP, we continuously strive to utilize the latest technologies in all our projects, which allows us to stay on the cutting edge of our industry. Partnerships with leading technology providers such as Affno and Third Wave International will help us to maintain Bahrain’s leadership position in the maritime and logistics industry, and will help the GOP maintain high levels of efficiency, and further enhance our offering to our customers,” he added.

Affno and Third Wave International’s selection followed a tender process in July last year where several leading players competed for this prestigious contract.

The GOP will be responsible for the operation and management of the new portal once it is completed. Affno and Third Wave International will train the Ship Registry and IT staff in addition to GOP customers and help them get acquainted with the system and its operation.

GOP remains committed to demonstrating the professional excellence of the maritime and shipping industry and offering quality services to meet the increasing needs of users and stakeholders alike. The GOP was recently awarded the ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management Systems (QMS) certification for conformity to international standards across all departments within the organisation.

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Background information

The General Organisation Of Sea Ports was established so that shipping and international trade continue to play an important role in Bahrain’s economy as ports are the first point of entry for goods into the Kingdom and beyond to neighboring countries. The Gulf region’s excellent geographic location and very good accessibility by air, land and sea have brought it to the top of the agenda for global logistics. Over the years, Bahrain’s ports have been adapted and developed to keep abreast of the latest innovations.
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Hill & Knowlton is a leading international communications consultancy, providing services to local, multinational and global clients. The firm is headquartered in New York, with 79 offices in 44 countries, as well as an extensive associate network.